Improvement in devices for securing ornamental designs to plates and dishes



F. A. MARRA. Device for Securing Ornamental Designs to Plates and Dishes.

No. 222,594. Patented Dec. 16', I879.

e M W N PEYERS, PHOTO-UTNOGRIPNER, WLSMING'YON. D C,

UNIT

PATENT Onnron.

FRANCESCO A. MARRA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR SECURING ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS T0 PLATES AND DISHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,594, dated December 16, 1879; application filed November 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCESCO A. Manna, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain Improvement in Plates and Dishes, of which the following is a speci fication.

The invention relates to arranging ornamental designs in plates or dishes of china, porcelain, or other material.

Heretofore designs or pictures have been impressed or painted on the article itself, gener-. ally in vitritiable colors, which are afterward baked to incorporate the same with the glaze.

This invention consists in the application of an independent design or picture, such as a photograph or print, or other design or picture.

In accordance with said invention the plate or dish is provided with an openingin its bottom, which opening may be of any suitable size to contain and properly exhibit the independent design or picture. This opening is preferably arranged in the center thereof, and surrounded with a suitable border. A picture or photograph suitable for ornamentation is then placed in the center of said plate beneath a glass, which, by preference, should be beveled so as to retain its position in the plate.

The plate itself is provided with a corresponding bevel around its center opening to support and retain this glass; and the picture is held in position by means of a backing of plaster-of-paris or other cement, or byother suitable means.

In order more clearly to illustrate this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which represent a plate ornamented in accordance with the invention, and which form apart of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front view of the plate, and Fig. 2 a section through the same.

l represents, generally, the plate: and G, the contained picture. An opening is left, preferably,,in the center of the plate, and this'is provided with a beveled edge, B, as shown. A plate of glass, ll, having a corresponding bevel, is then set in and is cemented with a water-proof material. Back of this glass a picture, G, is placed, so arranged as to show through the glass, and this picture is held in position by a backing, O, of plaster-ofparis or other cement, as shown.

Around the opening is preferably formed an ornamental border, painted or otherwise placed or impressed on the dish or plate. This border may be such as the designer considers harmonious with the picture.

Other means of supporting the picture could be employed. It may be held by being slid under retaining-lips, which may be either of metal or formed in the plate itself; or the plates may be made with an embedded metal lip, which is turned over the picture, and then covered with an additional piece of porcelain cemented in. This latter forms a very pen feet and secure mode of fastening.

I do not limit myself to the means of securing, as it is obvious many others beside those mentioned could be employed nor is the particular form of opening shown essential to my invention. A round, an octagonal, or othershaped opening might be successfully used.

Neither is the invention confined to photographic pictures, but is applicable to engravings, colored prints, oil or water paintings, and many others.

The water-proof cementing material above mentioned may be dispensed withas, for example, for dishes which are not to contain liquids.

Instead of a single opening and picture, several may be employed.

Having thus fully explained my said invention, and the manner for carrying the same into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A plate or dish provided with aproperlyarranged opening for supporting and exhibiting an ornamental design or picture, and serving as and forming the background for the same, substantially as described.

2. The new article herein described, which consists of a dish or plate provided with an opening of suitable shape, and having a suitable independent design or picture applied thereto and exposed through the said opening, substantially as described.

- FRANCESCO A. MARRA.

Witnesses S. T. SULLIVAN,

WM. A. PoLLooK. 

